The Queen Opens Up About Her Coronation for the First Time in New Documentary

You've seen The Crown, and now you can get the real story behind Queen Elizabeth's coronation. In a rare interview, the 91-year-old British monarch is speaking out about her 1953 crowning ceremony. She will appear in a new documentary called "The Coronation," a collaboration between the BBC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and the Smithsonian Channel.

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In the film, Elizabeth II also recalls her father's 1937 Coronation. "I've seen one Coronation, and been the recipient in the other, which is pretty remarkable," she says in the program.

The special will also focus on the Crown Jewels and the symbolic regalia that are part of the centuries-old crowning ceremony.

"Fascination with the Royal Family has probably never been higher than today, and there is great admiration for the Queen,” David Royle, executive vice president of programming and production for Smithsonian Channel, said in a statement.

"When the Coronation was broadcast in the U.S. in 1953, it was the first time the U.S. networks broadcast same-day coverage of European events, and it was watched by an immense audience. Now, this program sweeps aside the fictional dramas of more recent times and brings our viewers the definitive account of the Crown Jewels and their role in this ancient and remarkable event."

In the U.S., The Coronation will air on the Smithsonian Channel January 14 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. For more information, visit Smithsonianchannel.com.

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